


Past not Forgotten

by HillandGlen



Category: Outlander, Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon, outlander tv
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 06:17:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18337862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HillandGlen/pseuds/HillandGlen
Summary: Roger and Brianna, after Mandy’s Operation, drive through North Carolina, heading for Frasers Ridge, and a few memories they were not expecting.





	1. Chapter 1

‘You sure you want to be doing this?  
Roger asked her. 

She nodded, her red hair falling over her eyes. 

‘ I, I need to see, to see if there is anything there’ she answered

‘Before we go back to Scotland, before we settle at Lallybroch ‘

Roger nodded, and turned the engine on. He looked back over his shoulder, the baby and Jem were both asleep, they had lifted them from their beds in the bed and breakfast before it was light, it was a four hour journey, up through the mountain. 

He reached over and squeezed Brianna’s hand, and put the car into motion. 

Not much was said on the journey, both lost in their own thoughts, they had stopped the feed the children breakfast and dress them, and then went on. 

Roger was back in the past, as he passed places he had surveyed, he saw signposts of towns that had been real. 

Brianna’s mind was whirling, was this a good idea ? What if there was nothing there ? 

The night before, they had sat on the porch of River Run B&B, sat together like they had many times before, in that half light of twilight, seeing Auntie Jocasta coming down the stairs, Da, pulling up his horse our front, Mama, tending a child beside them, then the light flickered and they were gone. 

Carla, the lovely women who now owned and ran River Run, had brought them coffee and cake, asking if they needed anything. 

‘ No’ Brianna had said 

Then stopped ‘ Have you owned River Run for long ? ‘

Carla nodded ‘ Yes, my great great Grandfather bought it about the time of the Revolution. There was a ruction, because he married one of the slaves that came with the plantation, as it was then. It was quite the scandal’ 

Brianna looked up startled,  
‘Your family name?’ 

‘Fraser-Gray, My Great great Grandparents were William and Phaedre Fraser-Gray

Brianna had looked at Roger eyes sparkling with tears.

William, William has married Phaedre! She now knew what had happened to her brother at least. 

Carla continued, ‘ They lived here their whole married lives, they had 4 children, Claire their second daughter was my great grandmother. ‘ 

Brianna was glad it was nigh on dark, Carla couldn’t see the tears washing down her cheeks. Roger reached and took her hand. 

‘Is there more family still living around here ? He asked 

‘Oh yes, half of River Run town come from, the Fraser – Grays, or the Murray’s. ‘

Brianna looked up sharply

‘Murrays? ‘

‘My eldest great Aunt Brianna, ah she had the same name as you, ‘ she said with delight, 

‘Well she married a Murray from Fraser’s Ridge, he was a great nephew of James Fraser, who founded Fraser’s Ridge, and My Great Great Great Grandfather’ 

Brianna’s breath had caught and she thought she wouldn’t breath again. 

‘And your name, I mean your maiden name ? ‘ Roger asked. 

‘Fraser’ she said with a smile

‘ But your Great GrandMother, she was Fraser, did she marry another Fraser? ‘ Roger asked 

‘No she married a a Higgins, again they were from the Ridge, although it’s about 4 hours away. 

‘ No it was my mother who married a Fraser, but not a Fraser-Gray. My Father was a Fraser, but down the line from a Fergus Fraser. ‘ 

‘You seem know your family tree very well’ Roger said. 

‘ Oh well, I love genealogy, and have spent hours studying it’ she said with a smile. 

She collected the glasses and dishes and bidding them good night went in. 

Brianna wipes her tears away, ‘ she, she is my Great Great niece! 

‘ Aye, ‘ Roger replied. 

He took her hand, 

‘ Come my love, we need sleep, if tomorrow we are to go home to the Ridge’


	2. Further up the Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mackenzies reach Fraser’s Ridge

The sun was getting high as they made their way further and further up the mountain, things began to get familiar, and then so different. 

Brownsville, now a bustling town, with a long high street, nothing to recognise, but at Cooperville, the Mcgillivie house was still there! 

Roger stopped the car opposite. It was at the end of the high street, stood on its own, one of the few old houses left, they got out and wandered over to a café. 

‘Are we having lunch here’ Jem asked 

‘Aye, are you hungry’ Roger replied 

The boy nodded, looking around. 

‘Why is Mr Macgillivie’s house here in this town ‘ he asked. 

‘ Remember what we told you yesterday, that some of the places we would see would be almost the same as the places we were at, when’ 

Bree stumbled over her words

‘When we were at Granda’s, but that now in this time they would be different, older, or maybe not there at all. Well some times they would be there, but other houses and places would be built up around them’ 

They knew it would be confusing for Jem, at 7 he was old enough to understand that they lived in a different time now, but maybe not old enough really understand that he had stood in the same place in two different centuaries

After they had eaten, and Bree had fed Mandy, they set off, this time slowly, taking the left hand road, which as Jem said, was in Granda’s time the Trail up to the Big House. 

They slowed further more, when the glimpsed through the trees, the first cabin, bigger now, with another storey on it. 

Ian and Rachel’s home. 

The name on the mail box was still Murray. 

Further up, and Fergus and Marsali’s came into view. This one was hardly changed, but was all shut up, although seemed to be in good repair. 

They stopped here and got out, walking up to the house and peering in. 

‘Maybe it’s a weekend place now’ Bree said. 

‘Aye, looked after, but no garden or such’ Roger agreed. 

They walked on up to where the still had been, there was nothing there now, but the spring head. 

They stopped to drink, the clear mountain water that had sustained them in their passed life. 

They turned to the East, and there up above, was where the Big House had stood, before it burnt down. 

Another house now stood in its footprint. Very similar to the one her Da had built, Bree felt tears come to her eyes again. 

‘Maybe this is not a good idea’ Roger said seeing her face. 

‘No, I want to go on, please ‘ She beseeched him. 

So they carried on and around the corner. 

Still there. 

Was their cabin. 

Totally unchanged. 

On the door, was a sign. 

Fraser’s Ridge Museum.   
The First Home on Fraser’s Ridge. 

‘Oh Roger, ‘ she cried she ran her hand over the rail of the porch. 

Oh how many times had she done this before, for her just months before, now so many years ago. 

‘ Want to go in’ Roger asked quietly. 

‘No, not yet’ her eyes had turned up to the Big House, yes, it had been rebuilt, they walked on. 

‘ Can I help? ‘ a young man came around the corner of the cabin

A young man with red hair and blue cats eyes. 

Bree swallowed hard, 

‘Umm we, well we were looking for relatives. Well actually ancestors.   
Fraser’s Ridge was named after them’ 

She said in a tumble, trying not to stare at the young man. 

‘ Then if they are ancestors of yours, then we will be distant relatives’ he held his hand out. 

‘I’m Roger James MacKenzie, known as RJ ‘ 

This time it was Roger’s turn to swallow hard. 

‘MacKenzie! ‘ 

‘Yes, the Fraser’s and the Mackenzies were one family. The First Fraser’s James and Claire, has a daughter Brianna who married a Roger Mackenzie. He was a Relative of James Fraser, who’s mother had been a MacKenzie. ‘ 

Bree nodded stunned ‘ You know all about the Fraser’s then? ‘

‘I am the custodian of the museum and all things Fraser here’ he smiled. 

‘Come, I will take you up to the Big House and The New House if you would like. ‘

They followed him up the path. 

‘The Big House was burnt down in an accident, but was rebuilt in in 1780, when the Roger and Brianna Mackenzie and their children returned to the Ridge, they had been away four years but had decided to come home. 

Roger and Bree halted and looked at each other, they came back !   
How, when, why! 

Trying to take it all in, they hardly heard what else RJ said 

‘James and Claire Fraser had built the New House by then and lived there with their Grandson Germain, and his later wife Jane Pocock. 

He continued 

Germain was the son of Fergus and Marsali Fraser, James and Claire’s adopted son. 

James also has a son William Fraser-Gray. He lived in Cross Creek’

‘We stayed at River Run last night’ Jem told him 

‘ Ahh then did Carla tell you about William ? “ 

Bree nodded dazed by it all. Still not being able to take it in. They came back! But not for another three years. 

‘Who, umm who lives in the houses now’ Roger asked. 

‘I live in the Big House, it passed down through the family, my Great Great Grandparents were Roger and Brianna Mackenzie. My Great Grandfather John Mackenzie, and my Grandfather James Mackenzie. My Dad was Brian. ‘ he said with a grin. 

The New House is owned by Fraser Whisky and is used as a retreat and head quarters. Germain Fraser became one of the best Whisky makers in the country. ‘ 

Bree looked at Roger again. 

John Mackenzie. Who was John Mackenzie were they to have another child! 

‘ I think I would like a drink’ she said. 

‘No whisky I’m afraid. We don’t have a licence here at the museum. But there is cold lemonade, or coffee if you prefer’ RJ told them. 

He lead them back down the path and to the cabin. 

All three Mackenzies, old enough to remember stopped and just looked at the door and then with a large breath, entered. 

The cabin was just one big space now, the bed was gone, two tables stood in its place. The shelves were there, but now instead of Brianna’s cooking instruments and such, books stood. 

The fire place was still there, and above it, framed in white, a charcoal picture, drawn in Claire’s garden, of Mama and Da, sitting shucking peas. 

A picture, Brianna had drawn, catching them just so, in a moment. 

Brianna felt the world spin, and Roger caught her. Taking Mandy from her he sat her down. 

‘ I’m sorry ‘ RJ said, grabbing the pitcher of lemonade and pouring some for her. 

‘ I should have warned you. ‘ 

Roger looked up 

‘ Warned us?’

‘ yes, about the picture, it must have been a shock to see it’ 

A look flashed between Bree and Roger 

‘ why would it be a shock!’ Roger asked guardedly 

RJ got up and went to one of the shelves. Opens the glass box on it and very gently took out the book displayed in it. 

‘ Because, of this, ‘ 

He handed Bree her Sketch book, the one she had done while she had been pregnant with Mandy, she turned the pages. 

Roger, holding a sermon, in the dappled glade, 

Mama, in her Surgery

Da, on Gideon

Jem and Germain, fishing 

And a self portrait of herself. 

RJ spoke then “ Your are Roger and Brianna Mackenzie aren’t you?’ 

You are my Great Great Grandparents ? 

Bree looked up in shock. 

“


	3. Paris stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The interferences of a Comte

Roger stuttered

‘What ? ‘

‘ We knew you were coming see, it was a story handed down in the Family. Although the rules are that you don’t know your own future details, this was allowed. 

Brianna, you wanted yourself to know, that having another baby would be ok, that both you and the baby would survive.’ RJ told them. 

‘ So you know about the travelling ?’ She said stunned. 

RJ laughed ‘ of course, you were not the last to go through the portals. Although you choose to come back, not all will stay. ‘ 

‘Who, who will go back ‘ Roger asked

RJ turned and touched the baby on her head, 

‘This one, she will come back, she and Murtagh Germain Fraser, they will come through’ 

‘Who?’ They said in unison. 

‘Murtagh Fraser, the youngest son of Fergus Fraser’ 

‘ Fergus Fraser? But how, how can a descendant of Fergus Fraser travel ?’

Brianna asked confused. 

‘Fergus himself. He could travel, although he was late in life when he found out. He had travelled as a baby, but didn’t find out till he was in his 60’s’

Brianna looked even more confused. 

‘As a baby? But Da found Fergus in Paris as an orphan, he had been born in a brothel’ 

‘That is what he had always thought, but no, Fergus was born in England, in 1923. When he was born he was ill, with the same heart problem as young Mandy here. Then there was no operation. ‘

He stopped and sat down, pouring a drink from the pitcher. 

‘Fergus’s parents took him to the only person who could help him, they took him to Raymond. ‘

‘Raymond!, Raymond, the healer!’  
Roger exclaimed 

‘Yes, they took him to Paris, leaving their elder daughter behind in England. They took him back 212 years to give him a chance of life. 

They found Raymond, he healed Fergus, but on the return.’ 

He stopped and sighed 

‘Well on the return, Fergus’s parents didn’t make it, wether they had made one to many journeys, it had not been their first, or another thing, that did not work we will never know. But whatever happened Fergus was thrown out of the portal at Carnac, Le Comte St Germain, he had accompanied them to the portal, he brought the baby back and left him at the brothel. ‘ 

‘Why, why leave him there ? Why not take him to Raymond?’ Roger asked. 

‘ Because Le Comte, he wanted to be the greatest traveller, he wanted to be better than Raymond. Up to that point, only his brother Henri, had travelled more than him, now Henri and his wife Julia had gone, he didn’t want their son to know he could travel’ 

Brianna gasped ‘ Henry and Julia! My Grandparents ?’

‘Yes, the daughter left behind in England was your mother Claire Beauchamp, she had not known that the baby had been born, Henri and Julia had taken Fergus, straight to Paris. ‘

‘So Mama and Fergus were brother and sister ‘ Roger said in amazement. 

‘Yes, Fergus Claudel Fraser, was really Henry Andrew Beauchamp. Le Comte gave the brothel a false name.’

‘How did he find out’ Roger enquired. 

‘ I will tell you later, I think this lad, ‘ he smiled down at Jem looks rather hungry , why not come up to the Big House and we will eat, then I will tell you. ‘


	4. Forward and Backwards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting Sarah

RJ lead the way back to the Big House, opening the door, and the Family walked indoors, into the hallway that looked so much like the one they had walked so many times 

Jem stopped by the door to what in the original surgery and looked in.

Two sofas sat in the middle of the room, but on the walls were paintings, some signed by Brianna, some by other Frasers, Mackenzies, Murray and even a Beardsley

Brianna walked to study them 

‘The talent has gone on through the generations’ she said softly. 

‘Yes, Jennifer Murray Clarke, a descendant of Michael Murray and Joan Mackimmie is a well known artist. ‘ 

Roger raised his eyebrows,   
‘Micheal and Joan! ‘ 

‘When the house was rebuilt, you had this room as your studio, and engineering room’ RJ told Brianna 

RJ nodded, ‘ Come to the kitchen, we will eat, Sarah my sister will be in for lunch soon, so I must get it ready. ‘

‘You live with your sister ?’ Brianna asked. 

‘Yes, when Sarah left the military, it seemed sensible for her to come back and live here till she had got herself sorted, she works at Cross Creek Independence Hospital. ‘

‘She’s a nurse?’ Roger asked delightedly. 

RJ shook his head ‘No, Sarah is a surgeon’

Brianna grinned, ‘A surgeon, oh Mama would be so delighted’ 

Jem has gone ahead, putting his head into the previous Study

‘Oh Mama, look’ he said awe in his voice. 

Inside the room, apart from the modern typewriter in the desk, the room was furnished so like the last time they had seen it. 

On the wall tho was a cross, and framed, a sermon, written by Roger. 

‘ This was the Reverends room’ 

He pointed to a painting here on the wall. 

It was Jamie, sat on the porch, his hair grey and his face aged, the signature on the painting, Louise Fraser

Brianna sighed, and her lip wobbled 

‘Oh Da’ she whispered. 

She stood still till Roger took her hand, and they went into the kitchen. 

The kitchen had been modernised, from the rebuild, but still held a large table, similar to the one that had fitted the whole family. 

RJ busied himself, pulling from the fridge, cold meats, cheeses, fruits and salad. 

Cutting bread and putting butter on the table, he called out as the front door could be heard to open. 

‘In here Sarah, we have visitors’ 

A tall, dark haired girl came in striking in her height and frame. 

Brianna stood up and it was the light and the dark of each other. 

‘Sarah, these are the visitors we have been waiting for. ‘ RJ told her 

‘Brianna, Roger, my sister Sarah’ 

‘ oh!’ Sarah gasped then grinned. 

‘ oh my, you really were as tall as I am ‘ she said in delight. 

Brianna grinned back at the impossible being, who in years was about the same age as herself, but in generations her Great Great Grandaughter. 

‘ Blame my Grandmother Ellen for that ‘ she laughed. 

‘ How much have you told them ? ‘ she turned to RJ 

‘ Don’t worry, no more than is written in the Rogers Bible. ‘ 

‘My Bible?’ Roger frowned. 

Sarah nodded ‘ hold on’

She left the room and went to the study, bringing back s beautiful old bible. 

She placed it in the table in front of Roger 

He open it and saw on the fly leaf the Mackenzie name. 

Sarah gently turned a few more pages and took out a loose paper handing it to him. 

For Roger and Brianna 

It had at the top

What you can know on your visit in 1980

It then had a list of events and people.   
Roger looked up at Sarah. 

‘ You know the stories behind these notes?’ He asked. 

‘ RJ knows them better, each generation has a custodian, who holds the bible, who knows the timelines, the jumble of generations ‘ she told him. 

He looked back to RJ, 

‘ You were going to tell us how Fergus found out? ‘ 

RJ nodded ‘ yes, well Murtagh and Mandy, they married, it was inevitable to be honest, Murtagh came like Germain to live with his Grandparents when he turned 13, Marsali felt he was in to much temptation in Philadelphia, far to much like his father and brother for her liking’ he laughed. 

Brianna grinned ‘ I bet, ‘ 

‘ So, Marsali came for the summer, bringing the girls and Murtagh, the first person he saw was the firebrand Amanda Fraser. 

It was love at first sight, a connection so like Jamie and Claire, so it was said.

They married when Murtagh was 20 and Mandy was 21 ‘

‘They built a house down in Cooperville, Mandy had followed her Grandmother, and was a healer of her Grandmothers reputation, had taken over as Claire became too infirm’ 

This input was told by Sarah, obviously she had lived this part of the story 

RJ continued, ‘ but when Mandy became pregnant her old heart problem returned. She got weaker and weaker. 

There was only one answer, to go back to the future.’ 

‘ The Fergus Frasers knew then, about the travelling ? ‘ 

RJ nodded ‘ yes, Fergus and Marsali and the children knew. 

To start with Mandy wouldn’t go, in the end, she had no choice. She would die, and the baby with her. If she went or did not go, Murtagh would lose them both.

He like your Grandfather, made the choice for her, the love of their lives, had to go. To save the life of their child. 

So Murtagh, took her to Ocracoke. He took her to the stones. You two went too. 

They held hands. Murtagh putting Mandy’s on the stone. 

And they both went!’ 

‘So that’s how you knew Murtagh Fraser could travel?

But how did you find about Fergus?

Roger asked. 

‘ Because ten years later, a 15 year old lad, Mackenzie Fraser, appeared. He had come from 1995. 

He was the baby that had caused Murtagh and Mandy to go forward. 

He had had always known, was fascinated and had spent the summer in France, with his parents, and had researched the time his great grandparents were there, looked into his grandfathers beginnings. 

He and Mandy, at the Beauchamp Family home, had found a letter, that was displayed, from the King of France.

It was to Henri and Julia Beauchamp, a congratulations on the birth of their daughter Claire Elizabeth. ‘ 

He smiled, it seems that your mother was actually born in Paris too, ‘ he grinned at Brianna, 

‘ and a lot earlier than she thought ‘

‘ The research lead them to Henri and Robert, the brothers St Germain. 

In 1717, Henri disappeared, along with his wife Julia, and their daughter Claire, nobody knew where they had gone. 

The next mention of them was four years later, when they appear briefly with out Claire, but with the baby Henry’ 

Brianna took a deep breathe taking it all in. 

RJ continued ‘ within Robert’s papers they found a letter from a Brothel Madam, telling him that the baby, Robert had brought to her 10 years before, had left her, and was now in the employ of a Mr James Fraser and his wife Claire. ‘


	5. The Gene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RJ explains the travel Gene

While they ate, and Brianna fed Mandy, RJ went on with the story. 

‘ St Germain always knew where, Fergus was, and admitted much later on, when he and Claire met in 1800, that he had recognised her straight away long ago in that dock in France, when she had caused the firing of his ship. 

He had taken one look and saw Julia Beauchamp, in fact had thought it was his sister in law to start with, before realising she was his niece, ‘ 

He knew she had travelled as she was now 25 years older than he had last seen her 4 years before, but he didn’t know where from, or how she had steered, he didn’t know, that it had been an accident. ‘

He took a drink and carried on 

‘ Anyway back to Fergus, he kept a close watch on them both, even tho Raymond had warned him away, pretending to kill him in the Star Chamber, as a warning. 

He watched from afar, but saw, that Fergus as he was by then known, had no idea, of his origins or secret gift. 

And had thought that Claire had died at Culloden, then whispers came to him, whispers of a man, who like him could travel, and like him could travel, backwards, and forwards, who could steer and was loved by Raymond, who after all was the Father of Time himself. ‘ 

This caused both the MacKenzies to look up in surprise, 

‘Somebody from us? Somebody who could go both ways. ‘ Roger said in awe. 

‘Yes, St Germain, who had never managed to have offspring, in any age or year, knew it had to be a descendant of Robert. 

Or possibly of the real La Dame Blanche’ 

‘’The real La Dame Blanche’’ Roger said

Sarah nodded, ‘ Yes, Raymond had two lines of descendants. 

The St Germains and the Robicheaux’s’ 

She nodded to Brianna, ‘ you come from the St Germain side 

And you Roger from the Robincheaux, 

The first St Germain was Raymond, his daughter the original La Dame Blanche married a Robincheaux. 

Her daughter married a McKewn and so the gene came to Scotland, and on through, to you

‘So Who was he? Brianna asked 

‘Mackenzie Fraser, from both strains of the gene. With greater understanding than any other traveller, maybe more than Raymond ‘

He nodded ‘yep, your Grandson Mac, he travels back and forth’

‘Can he change History?’ Roger asked, looking perturbed at the thought. 

‘ No, No, but he can keep the Family safe. He can lead, or push family members to the right decision, or to be in the right place at the right time, most of the time he never interacts with family members, although occasionally will, if it is in that persons best interest ‘ 

‘Like how? ‘ Brianna asked intrigued. 

‘ Well, let me think. ‘ he stopped for a moment. 

‘ He introduced Claire to Frank Randell, if he hadn’t done that, they would have never married, never gone on that second honeymoon in Scotland, she would have never have gone to the stones, and never met Jamie’ 

‘Oh my god!’ Brianna exclaimed. 

Sarah nudged her and laughed. 

‘I think he planted the flowers that brought her back to the stones that morning.’ 

‘Did he!’

‘He always denies it when I ask’

‘Ask!!’ 

‘You have met him?’ Brianna said choking on her coffee. 

RJ nodded. ‘ Yes, he checks in now and then, on each generation, usually when a decision that could be dangerous to the Family occurs. ‘

‘Like what?’ Roger asked 

‘ Like when the Ian Murray descendants wanted to go with the wagon trains west. Which way to go, where to settle. Oggy Murray had the wanderlust of his Father’

Brianna smiled ‘Oggy ! Ian has a son called Oggy’

‘Well he was christened Denzil William Fraser Murray, but always known as Oggy’ Sarah laughed. 

‘Yes Oggy took the Fraser Murray’s West. He was in his 30’s when he took his family in the Oregon Trail. ‘

‘And which side to be on, when the Civil war came’ RJ added. 

‘That was a difficult one, as only the immediately family descendants know about the travelling, those that can travel really, so others wanted to fight for the South, not the north as most Frasers did. But that was the way of all then, cousin against cousin. The Ridge fought for the North tho. ‘

Sarah stood up, ‘ are you booked somewhere for the night, if not the New House is empty. We can open up and you can stay there? ‘ 

‘The New House, the House Da built, up on the bluff, he had talked of building it for years.’ Brianna grinned

‘ Aye, always said he would build it for your Mama’ Roger laughed. 

‘Oh yes, we would love to stay there. ‘ 

They all said with a smile.


	6. Answers in Life

They drove the car up the high mountain road, coming to stop in front of the New House. 

Three storeys highly, with large windows, and a deep porch. 

‘The façade has not changed since Jamie built it. ‘ Sarah said as the got out of the car and stood looking at it. 

She took the keys out if her pocket and opened the door into a large hallway, lined in stunning cedar wood, with polished oak floors. 

To the right where three doors, Sarah opened them as they went along. 

‘ Claire’s Surgery,’ she said at the first one. ‘ it was still in use as a surgery until the early 20’s. The last to to be a doctor here was Dr Robert Higgins’ 

‘A descendant of Amy and Bobby Higgins ?’ Roger asked 

‘Yes, and Felicite Fraser’ Sarah agreed

‘This was your Father’s Study,’ she stood out of the way to let them in. 

Above a fireplace, was a framed painting, Jamie and Claire looked down on them 

‘ You paint that for their 40th wedding anniversary’ RJ said quietly as Brianna and Roger stared at it with tears in their eyes. 

‘ I miss Granda and Grannie, I want to go home’ Jemmy this all becoming all to much burst into tears. 

Roger picked him up, and hugged him hard. 

‘I know lad, we miss them too. We will see them again one day, you see if we don’t’ 

He looked over his head at Brianna. A wobble on her lips as she held Mandy close. 

They then went through to the back, where a sitting room, with big windows looked down off the bluff to the river below. Brianna and Roger sank down onto soft leather sofas, children on their laps. 

‘Why do we wait for 3 more years’ Roger said quietly, ‘why don’t we just go now?’ 

‘ I can’t tell you that, all I can tell you it is always for a reason, a reason that will give you answers to the questions in your life’ RJ answered 

Later, much later, after they had looked around the house and grounds, seen the whisky trail book, that had been produced of Fraser Whisky, tasted a 50 year old single malt ( which Brianna told RJ, was so much better than the first Fraser Whisky she had tasted in 1769), they lay in bed, talking through what they had been told, making sense of the jumble of names and and times. 

‘ If we know now, before we go back, ‘Brianna said slowly ‘ why when we go back can we not tell Fergus who he is? 

 

‘I’m not sure, ‘ Roger mulled. 

‘Maybe because, he is not meant to know at that time? Maybe, because it will affect something in the future, that would harm the future? 

‘Mmmm’ Brianna agreed sleepily

They fell silent, then when almost asleep Brianna spoke again. 

‘ Will we know, do you think he will tell us, when Mama and Da, and even us ourselves will die? ‘ 

But Roger had fallen asleep, and with that thought in her head, she fell asleep too. 

The next morning, RJ arrived with breakfast as Brianna finished dressing the baby. 

“Hello the House’ he called as he knocked the door. 

‘ Come in’ Roger called back. 

They sat down at the kitchen table, and RJ handed out Bagels, cream cheese and ham. 

‘ oh RJ thus is lovely.’ Brianna said. 

‘ Ham comes from West Beardsley Farm,’ RJ told them. 

‘ There are two farms , out at Beardsley mount, West and East, most of our produce comes from there. 

The grain for the Whisky comes from a East Farm. ‘ 

Brianna smiled ‘ Lizzie’s boys ‘ 

RJ grinned ‘ yes, and twins every second generation down the line too’ 

‘Now what are you after today, more stories? Or a look around some more ? ‘

Brianna spoke quietly ‘ The burying ground?’ 

‘Ah, ‘ RJ pursed his lips, ‘ that’s in the rules you wrote, your not allowed there. Not to know death dates of anyone’ 

Brianna looked disappointed, but relieved. ‘Probably for the best’ 

Roger nodded in agreement. 

‘ one thing I am interested in tho, my family ? My Great Great Grandmother Geillis, when did she come back to Scotland ? I mean when she met Dougal ? ‘


	7. Ladies first

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From Geillis to Mandy and all in between

‘Ahh Geillis McKewn, for that was her first name, although she had many after. She was born in Scotland the greatgrandaughter of Raymond. 

She lived with her brother for a long time, before getting the idea, that a blood sacrifice was needed to travel, see, she wanted what her cousins could do, to go backwards and forwards, but found it harder. 

‘So she used blood, so her brother, a fine healer called Robert McKewn was her first victim, she went forward with that one, becoming Gillian Edgars, and finding a cause in a free Scotland, then she married a man called Duncan, and killed him. ‘ he looked up as Brianna shuddered

‘We know, we were there, at the stones, when she went through, ‘

She killed many more before her end’ RJ said

‘ You know, Mama killed her, when she tried to kill Ian?’ 

RJ nodded ‘ yes, it’s in your fathers letters. ‘ 

Rogers head shot up ‘ His letters? You have letters? ‘ 

RJ nodded, ‘ you have letters, but not yet? ‘ he said cryptically. 

Brianna looked puzzled. 

‘It’s another thing that you will have to wait for the answers too’ 

‘But as you know, Geillis and Douglas baby William Buckleigh MacKenzie, and his wife and child went to America’

‘Aye’ Roger said darkly. Running his fingers over the scar on his throat

‘Aye, I know all about Buck MacKenzie. Bastard that he was’ 

RJ smilies quietly ,’ he may as yet have some redeeming features ‘ 

‘Oh Aye, and what would that be’ Roger glared

RJ just smiled again 

‘Aye and no tell me, another of life answers hey’ Roger stood angry now

‘Roger’ Brianna put her hand on his shoulders. 

‘Remember, if RJ can’t tell us, it’s because YOU, wrote it down that we couldn’t be told. ‘ 

Roger walked over to look out the window, he could see Jem, climbing down to the river with Sarah. 

He heaved a huge sigh. 

‘Aye Ok mate’ 

 

He turned around, 

‘And my parents? Could they travel ? ‘ 

‘Ah again, one of those questions I cannot answer’ RJ shrugged

‘But you will get the answer, before you go back, I can tell you that’ 

Roger nodded knowing he would gave to be satisfied with that. 

Brianna looked down again at they sleeping babe in her arms again. 

‘Jem, you can’t tell us about Jem?’ 

RJ shook his head

‘And Mandy?’ What happened to Mandy and Murtagh? ‘ Brianna hugged the baby Mandy tight to her. 

‘Ahh Mandy Fraser, what a name to be held up too. ‘ 

‘ You know it was the year 1993, the year they came too, further on from we are now. But Mac, well he has told us, your Mandy. She is still setting the world alight. They could never come back, her heart wouldn’t have taken it, so they stayed, her and Murtagh,

But once Mac, came, he brought news of them , and again later others brought letters. Oh yes Amanda Fraser became a name to be heard ‘

Brianna eyes brimming with tears, beamed at Roger. 

‘ They went back to Scotland, back to Lallybroch. She became a Politician, a very famous one at that. 

He winked ‘ after all, she was the last in the Lovat Line. ‘


	8. Back to Scotland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Full circle

That night they had dinner all together, the Mackenzies were to go in the morning, heading for the airport and Scotland. 

They had bought Lallybroch, from the money from the sale of the Boston house, and were heading there. 

America in this century was not for them. It was too rushed too bright too, just too much. 

Lallybroch in its quiet hills was more for them. Brianna had found an Engineering job nearby and Roger was deciding what he wanted, to preach, or maybe something else. 

May be to write a book, the songs that ran through his head, even if they could come out of his mouth, well they could be put in a book. 

After they poured a dram each and Brianna asked again 

‘Please, do you know any more of Mandy, ‘ it made her heart clench to know she would lose this precious baby, this reason for coming back, to time anyway. 

She so wanted to know she would be ok. 

 

RJ sat down and told them more of Mandy and Murtagh

They had gone to Joe, now a very old man, but Issac, his son, was the current holder of the Fraser legend, in the 20th Century, and welcomed Mandy, the little girl he had last seen as a 4 year old with open arms. 

Both of them had been terrified, by the noise, the speeds and the lights, but on Joe’s insistence, had stayed with him, until 4 months later, Mackenzie James Fraser was born

 

They had gone straight to Scotland then, to Edinburgh, were on giving the receipt that Brianna had given her, for the bank vault, they had found the keys to Lallybroch, and the rights to the money in the bank. 

There they had settled. Murtagh starting up the small holding again, Mandy bringing up Mac, until one day she saw a notice. 

They were looking for people for the local parish council. 

 

2031 

 

Amanda Mackenzie Fraser, stood looking out of the window at Holyrood House

She had been First minister of Scotland for ten years and today had been the second Referendum to separate Scotland from England. 

She stood with a Fraser Whisky in her hand , quietly on her own. 

Waiting for the result. 

Murtagh slipped into the room, 

‘Mandy, there in’ he said

‘ And, ‘ she turned to look at him. 

‘The Yes vote won. ‘ 

 

She walked out into the platform, tears in her eyes. Her Grandfather would have been so so proud. 

Scotland again was Free.


End file.
